Arborists & Arboriculture vs Tree surgeon & Tree Surgery

Good arborists are few and far between and tree surgeons can be found everywhere but what is the difference?

Arboriculture is the care and establishment of trees as individuals conducted by an arborist whereas silviculture is the creation and care of forests. But what is the difference between an arborist and a tree surgeon?

Our trained tree surgeons swing into action

I asked the very same question when I started out in the industry. I was told that “a tree surgeon is someone who can cut branches off a tree but does not know why he is doing it and how it will affect the tree.” I kind of agree with that statement and I would say that R.A.W Tree Care are arborists and tree surgeons practicing good arboriculture. I would not dream of denying we are tree surgeons. (I was once told off at an industry show for saying that I am a tree surgeon, I was told “you are a climbing arborist”)

There is a part of the industry that is trying to move away from the term “tree surgeon” because of the cowboys out there and the ideology of hacking bits off trees helps to improve the situation. Arboriculture is going through a bit of a revolution at present. There is a push to try and professionalise the industry by research, education and by trying to stop the Cowboys & the “have a go hero” but is turning your back on a well-established phrase the right way to go?

I can understand arborists wanting to distance their business from the “bloke with a chainsaw,” as a business we try to do it all the time, but turning you back on an established name is normally marketing suicide.

Sure, our team of experts can deal with any sized tree with minimal disruption whereas other firms would walk away or hire a professional. But that is what makes us a professional tree surgery business, offering a professional service to our clients. So while R.A.W Tree Care are arborist and hold qualifications in arboriculture, we are also professional tree surgeons available to provide tree care advice across the Midlands. It’s the same service however you want to refer to us.

So there should be no difference between a professional tree surgeon and an arborist but there are many people who claim to be both professional and a tree surgeon but in reality are neither.